JAVA'S MILLIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 October 1921, Page 2

JAVA'S MILLIONS.

AUSTRALIA’S TRADE OPPORTUNITIES. SYDNEY, Sept. 28 One of the objects which it is hoped to promote by constructing a .railway from the- south to the north of the Australian continent is the development of trade with Java. Within a short distance of Australia there is a imputation of 30.090,000, and it is stated that there is almost an unlimited field for some of tile products of Australia if they can he conveyed rapidly and marketed attractively. Members of the Public Works Committee who are investigating the proposed routes for the railway, crossed over to Java from Darwin, and came back greatly impressed with the prospects. One of them, Senator Newland, said that great pains were being taken by foreign competitors—principally German and American—to capture this glowing trade; but with the advantage, that Australia has of proximity to the islands, it should he easy for this country to. beat competitors in many lines. It was disquieting, however, to find that, through, various causes (including poor class of goods, faulty packing, and general slovenliness in the getting up of goods) the name of Australia in many places was anathema ; and that, although certain classes of Australian goods were admittedly distinctly superior to the foreign article, yet, on account of .the more attractive way in which it was put on the market, the people in Java paid more for the foreign article. In some eases it was found that Australian articles could only be sold if the labelling was so done that no mention of Australia was made on the package. The committee learned that there was apparently an unlimited market for apples, pears, and oranges, and for alt classes of dried fruits, biscuits, jams, and canned butter; hilt everything must he first-class and attractively presented.